The swimming lakes around Innsbruck are great for fun family days out. Each lake is unique but all of them have fabulous mountain views. Read on for our favourite picks for swimming, splashing, throwing stones, spotting fish, eating ice cream and cooling off on hot summer days.

Natterer See Lake

Natterer See is a small lake just outside the village of Natters – a short drive or tram ride from Innsbruck. This lake is pretty unbeatable for a family day out. Swimming is just the beginning of the water fun because there are also loads of water slides, play towers, inflatables, etc. on the lake to keep children (and adults) entertained. It’s also possible to rent various types of boats and there are multiple playgrounds, including one right on the edge of the lake by the shallow paddling section. The restaurant is lovely too – right on the edge of the lake with a good choice of food and beautiful views. The only downside for families is that the grassy spaces are more limited than at some of the other lakes. Our kids were very happy splashing around in the water and racing around the playgrounds though so this wasn’t a problem for us. Another big plus – if you are visiting Innsbruck on holiday, you can take advantage of the great children’s entertainment programme, which includes swimming, creative activities, magic shows, Children’s Olympics and much more.

The amazing inflatable tower on the lake. Lots of splashing, jumping sliding and laughing for kids and adults alike!

The shallow part of the lake with children’s slide. This photo was taken from the little lakeside playground.

One of the playgrounds at the lake.

Charming playground in the woods on the edge of the lake – nestled away, very shady and great for older kids.

Paddling in the lake on a brisk summer’s day.

Rossau Swimming Lake – Baggersee

The Rossau swimming lake in Innsbruck is known by locals as the “Baggersee”. We love splashing around at Baggersee on hot summer days but also playing by the lake and in the playground when it’s overcast. On days when it’s hot enough to swim, there are lots of shallow access points, a children’s area with a water slide and a fun water channel that kids can splash in. If it’s a bit too chilly for a dip, our kids still love visiting Baggersee to throw stones into the water, race around on the grass (there is tons of space for sitting, picnicking, sunbathing or chasing around after children) and clambering around in the playground. There are also loads of toilets (definitely a plus as we are currently potty training) and changing rooms, as well as two restaurants/cafés. Baggersee is definitely a firm favourite for us and we think it will become an even more frequent fixture of our weekends as our kids get older because there are also public BBQs, beach volleyball courts, basketball nets, table tennis tables and much more. For us, the location in Innsbruck is a big plus. You still have stunning mountain views (pretty much the case everywhere in Innsbruck) and you can even admire Ambras Castle and the Bergisel Ski Jump while taking a dip. However, you can also see a couple of Innsbruck’s tower blocks and there are electricity pylons so this isn’t the best choice for people who want to be surrounded exclusively by nature. For us, with small children, it’s a winner though 🙂

Inflatables and dramatic clouds at Baggersee lake in Innsbruck. Quick, to the restaurant!

One of the restaurants at Baggersee swimming lake in Innsbruck.

Lanser See

Lanser See is a small, quiet lake with stunning views and lots of grassy areas just outside the village of Lans. This lake isn’t filled with inflatables and children’s entertainment but there are swings, a seesaw, a zip line, a small sandpit, a diving platform on the lake and a high diving board for older kids and adults. There is also a small children’s area where the water is a bit shallower and a little slide that runs down into it. As our kids are still a bit small to swim and much too small to be left alone near water (this lake gets deep quickly), we tend to do the buggy-friendly walk to the Vogelhütte and combine it with a short swim, ice cream and play by the lake on the way back to the car. On our last trip, we spent ages “fish spotting” from the docks.

Children’s slide at the Lanser See swimming lake.

Lanser See swimming lake is small but sweet.

Spotting the fish at Lanser See lake near Innsbruck.

Admiring the view.

View from the Lanser See swimming lake. Photos taken quickly before I had to focus on two sticky, ice cream covered faces and hands.

Mieming Swimming Lake

The Untermieming Swimming Lake in the Mieming Plateau and Tirol Mitte region is a bit further out of Innsbruck but well-worth a visit. The lake has stunning views, a sandy beach, sunbathing lawns, nice shallow areas for kids to splash around in, a restaurant and a children’s playground.

Seefeld

We love the lake in Seefeld. In fact, we just love Seefeld in general. The views from the lake are amazing and there is a nice family-friendly area at the Strandperle with a playground, outdoor swimming pool, children’s pool, lake access and restaurant. There’s also a lovely buggy-friendly walk around the lake that is great for quick-to-tire toddler legs, not to mention the multitude of great mountain walks nearby and the very picturesque town centre that is perfect for a wander or bite to eat before or after visiting the lake. We can’t recommend it highly enough!